1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to videoconference systems and methods therefor, and in particular to a videoconference system and a method therefor in which a videoconference can be held with the illusion of a physical conference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional videoconference system, which consists of four communication centers 51-1 to 51-4 mutually connected via a network 56. The communication center 51-1 is provided with a display 52-1 which displays an image corresponding to a video signal transmitted from any one of the other communication centers 51-2 to 51-4, and a speaker 53-1 which outputs a voice signal corresponding to the displayed image. A video camera 54-1 images a predetermined participant at the conference, and a microphone 55-1 captures speech of the participant. The imaged video signal and the captured voice signal are transmitted to the other communication centers 51-2 to 51-4 via the network 56. The other communication centers 51-2 to 51-4 have the same structure.
Each predetermined communication center is constructed as shown in FIG. 2. For example, in the communication center 51-4, the video camera 54-4 images a participant 61-4 at the videoconference, while the microphone 55-4 captures speech of the participant 61-4. The display 52-4 displays the image corresponding to any one of video signals transmitted from the other communication centers 51-1 to 51-3 via the network 56, while the speaker 53-4 outputs the voice signal corresponding to the video signal. Accordingly, the participant 61-4 can view another participant at one of the other communication centers, and can hear the speech of the participant.
In the above manner a plurality of participants can hold a videoconference via the network 56 without time delay even when they are in remote places.
However, according to the conventional video conference system, for example, while the participant 61-4 at the communication center 51-4 is speaking, the video signal and voice signal from the participant 61-4 are transmitted to the other communication centers 51-1 to 51-3 via the network 56, so that the image corresponding to the video signal and the speech corresponding to the voice signal from the participant 61-4 are outputted from the displays 52-1 to 52-3 and the speakers 53-1 to 53-3 of the communication centers 51-1 to 51-3. Consequently, all the participants at the communication centers 51-1 to 51-3 can simultaneously view the image of the participant at the communication center 51-4 and hear the speech of the participant.
As a result, the participants 61-1 to 61-3 at the communication centers 51-1 and 51-3 recognize that the participant 61-4 at the communication center 51-4 speaks to all of them. Accordingly, each time the participant 61-4 wants to send a message to one participant among the participants 61-1 to 61-3, the participant 61-4 must specify to whom the speech is directed, which causes a problem in that a conference cannot be held naturally.